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Shakeema Scott
Jobs REES Top Story 

NYCHA Residents Get Good Jobs After NRTA Graduation

Vincent Echavaria

NYCHA resident Shakeema Scott was working as a federal officer for 10 years when she decided to take a “leap of faith” and enroll in training for the construction trades. 

Fellow NYCHA resident Chris Bishop had been unemployed and searching for jobs for nearly a year when he looked to construction training for a solution.  

The two former construction novices became classmates as they entered the NYCHA Resident Training Academy (NRTA) Construction track, and more than a year after graduation, they are now fellow electricians in Local Union No. 3 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW).   

Managed by NYCHA’s Office of Resident Economic Empowerment and Sustainability (REES), the NRTA provides NYCHA residents with training opportunities and job placement assistance for careers in the construction, janitorial, and maintenance fields. The construction training, conducted by CUNY’s New York City College of Technology (City Tech), is designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills required for a successful career in the construction industry.  

A resident of Brooklyn’s Roosevelt Houses for nearly eight years, Ms. Scott said she discovered NRTA through a NYCHA e-newsletter and was thrilled at the opportunity to explore various facets of the construction industry.  

“The great thing about that program for me was that we got to learn about a lot of the different trades,” said Ms. Scott, who was particularly drawn to the electrical trade. “I enjoy learning how to wire electrical outlets and boxes, and I just enjoyed it.”  

Mr. Bishop, a resident of Marble Hill Houses in the Bronx who learned about NRTA while searching online, said he was initially interested in carpentry, but he found the electrical field to be new and exciting. He was most impressed with the hands-on portion of the construction training program.  

“That was my favorite, because you get to learn hands-on and practice skills, and hopefully it transfers to the real world,” he said.    

Chris Bishop, a Marble Hill Houses resident and Local Union No. 3 electrician, has performed work at locations such as Rikers Island and a 911 call center.

To graduate, NRTA Construction track participants must attend more than 250 hours of job readiness and hard-skills training over eight weeks, which includes OSHA 30, Asbestos Awareness, Suspended Scaffolding, and Flagger Certifications. Ten graduates completed the most recent NRTA Construction training in October after it shifted to a virtual program due to the pandemic. 

REES works with graduates to help them get jobs with NYCHA contractors, union apprenticeship programs, and other employer partners. With the assistance of REES, Ms. Scott was able to land her first job with Local Union 3 working on fire alarm systems for the MTA. She is currently based at the Javits Center, where she is working to wire machinery to help power the building.  

“I love it; I love working with my hands, and I love learning new things,” she said.  

Mr. Bishop is also thankful to REES for helping him find employment with a company that performs jobs for the NYPD, FDNY, and the NYC Department of Transportation. He credits the NRTA for teaching him the skills needed to work technical jobs at locations such as Rikers Island and a 911 call center.  

“It has made a giant impact, because I don’t know if I would’ve been able to get into Local 3 without it,” Mr. Bishop said. “I’m getting to experience a lot of different places that I would have never seen.”  

In addition to their full-time employment, both Ms. Scott and Mr. Bishop are working to further their education, with Ms. Scott only a few credits away from a bachelor’s degree in sociology and Mr. Bishop pursuing an associate degree from SUNY Empire State College that is offered through IBEW. The former NRTA classmates have continued to stay in touch with each other and say they both see a long career as Local 3 electricians.  

Since launching in 2010, the NRTA has graduated more than 2,847 students, with over 89 percent placed into jobs. 

REES is currently recruiting for a new NRTA Construction cohort. Interested residents can learn more here.  

Photo caption: Roosevelt Houses resident and Local Union No. 3 electrician Shakeema Scott is currently working to wire machinery at the Javits Center.